Lately in class we have been reading a lot of informational text, also called "nonfiction". Informational text is writing that is based on facts, real events, and real people. Reading about life in the American Colonies is a different experience than reading about the fantasy adventures of Percy Jackson or the modern troubles of students in Mr. Terupt's imaginary classroom.

Compare and/or contrast your experiences reading fiction versus reading informational text. Support what you say with specific examples. 

What are some of the positive things about each genre?
What are some of the challenges of reading each genre?
Informational text is often more challenging than fiction. What are some strategies you use to make reading informational text easier or more enjoyable?

I look forward to reading about your experiences with informational text!
Happy Responding!

Dear Students,

Has there ever been a character in your reading that you love to hate? You know, a character that gets you mad or frustrated, but in a way that makes the story more interesting to read? Often, characters that we "love to hate" are mean, selfish, and try to do harm to the main character. 

You may have heard these terms before: protagonist and antagonist. The protagonist is the main character that you cheer for throughout the story. The antagonist is the character who is an active "pain in the butt" to the main character. There is usually more than one protagonist and antagonist in a story. The antagonist often brings harm to the world of the story. In some stories, the antagonist can change his or her ways and learn a lesson. In other stories, the antagonist is pure evil and must be defeated.

Describe an antagonist in a story that you have read. What are some of his or her character traits? What does this character do to cause trouble in the story?

Also, try to answer this: Why do you think the author chose to have this character act the way he or she does?

I'm looking forward to reading about a character you love to hate!
Happy Responding!